Joseph Grima to be named as new Design Academy Eindhoven creative director

An architecture critic and founder of design research studio Space Caviar, Grima is set to succeed Thomas Widdershoven, who resigned last year. The school refused to confirm the appointment but said it would be issuing a statement soon.

He was appointed editor-in-chief of Modus magazine in 2011 – a role he held for two years before founding architecture and research studio Space Caviar alongside Tamar Shafrir. He is also the director of the Ideas City festival at New York’s New Museum.

He follows in the footsteps of a number of high-profile designers to have taken the helm of the Design Academy.

Fuelled by the recent seven-month-long gap without a creative director, a group of Design Academy alumni came together to urge the school to make an appointment that enhances its creativity, rather than its business model.

“I am glad Joseph Grima will be appointed as the new creative director. He is a candidate the alumni initially discussed and a young critical figure with an international scope, whom I hope will be welcomed by the status quo in the school to transform its educational institution towards a relevant future.”